Reply #54: American cars are FINALLY worth buying

[comtec]

the gas mileage of american made cars in the last 20+ years has been sad (My own, current Neon being an exception at 30 MPG)

My last car was a Kia (and no I won't recommend a kia over my American made Neon) an got 30+ with AC and an automatic transmission.
before that I had a Geo Metro (suzuki swift) 3cyl which got 65 MPG. Name one american car that has EVER gotten close to 55MPG let alone 65.

Now, ford DOES make a small, very fuel efficient car, it's called the KA! it's made for the european market.

ONE major problem the US car market has had is crappy cars. (notice I'm not mentioning trucks, where american are the best world round.)

With production outside the US, and quality (not the union builder's fault. it was management) and gas mileage of garbage, the US car manufacturers hurt themselves.

Mind you I love my 98 Neon. She runs well, gets great mileage, and survived the worst winter is 15 years here in Minnesota. But the Neon was under advertised.

the big gas guzzlers were over advertised and overall were crap.

Example of good and bad new cars.
Last year I rented a ford fusion. I loved it, except the .5 second lag in braking and acceleration. that scared me, but was never a serious issue. I'd buy a fusion BTW.

Chrysler... something. I got a good deal on it, which is good because the gas mileage was crap (20) and the 'comfort' features that justified it's extra cost just weren't there for me. I found the Fusion a MUCH better car.

The hybrids that are hitting the market (while I think they are crap MPG for what a hybrid SHOULD be, at least american cars are making them) and the Volt, makes american car makers competitive again.

I like that I can now look at an american made car for my next purchase, because American cars CAN be great cars. That the industry has fallen on their face in the last 20 years is not my problem. That they have finally become viable is whats important now.

I've always railed against the "buy americn JUST to buy american" crap.
I buy what fits MY NEEDS, and American cars haven't, for the most part.
they are over priced, too few MPGs and cheap feeling for the cost, as well as being made in Mexico and Canada.

NOW the cars on the market are what i want, they drive well, the MPGs are good, if not excellent, and they are finally responding to market needs, not what they THINK we want.

So, now that there are cars worth buying, that are competitive in both features and pricing, I will be buying American again, and I will be checking to make sure that the car I buy WAS made in the USA.

Again, none of this is a knock on the fine union builders, but the corporations for making shitty cars!
A car can be built brilliantly, but if it's with shit parts, it will be a shit car, plain and simple.
no union busting, it's just simple business and common sense.

Build it , and they will come ;)